Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion take lead on first day of Best Ranger Competition

1 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- First Sgt. Troy Conrad prepares to pull Staff Sgt. Luke Katz, both of Team 45 from the National Guard, after their swim in Victory Pond. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Patrick Albright (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL2 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- Capt. Travis Cornwall, foreground, and Staff Sgt. Erich Friedlein, midground, Team 44 from the National Guard, emerge from Victory Pond. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Patrick Albright (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL3 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- One of the teams from the 2018 Best Ranger Competition lift a medical mannequin over a wall during the Urban Obstacle Course. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Patrick Albright (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL4 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- Capts. Robert Doyle and Taylor Moran, Team 51 from the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning, Georgia, move a weighted sled during the Urban Obstacle Course. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Patrick Albright (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL5 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- A helicopter prepares to take 2018 Best Ranger Competition teams to York Field at Fort Benning's main post. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Patrick Albright, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Patrick Albright (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL6 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Markeith Horace, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Markeith Horace (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL7 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- First Lt. Deaven Miller, Team 1 of the 1st Infantry Division, flips a tire at York Field. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Markeith Horace, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Markeith Horace (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL8 / 8Show Caption +Hide Caption –FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- 2018 Best Ranger competitors walk to one of the ranges along Dixie Road at Fort Benning main post. On the first day of the 2018 Best Ranger Competition, 51 teams of two Ranger-qualified U.S. military service members took on several events to test their physical endurance, mental acumen, and technical and tactical skills. The 35th David E. Grange Jr. Best Ranger Competition, an annual competition organized by the Airborne and Ranger Training Battalion, is set to determine the most elite Ranger-qualified two-athlete team of the Armed Services April 13 through 15 at Fort Benning, Georgia. (U.S. Army photo by Markeith Horace, Maneuver Center of Excellence, Fort Benning Public Affairs Office) (Photo Credit: Mr. Markeith Horace (Benning))VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT BENNING, Ga. (April 13, 2018) -- Beginning in the early morning April 13 at Camp Rogers at Fort Benning, Georgia -- and without halting since -- Ranger-qualified teams have taken part in several strenuous events as part of the Best Ranger Competition.

During the opening mass run, teams were not made aware of the distance they were to cover and had to pace themselves as best they could despite the indeterminacy.

The following event, the Malvesti Obstacle Course back at Camp Rogers included chin-ups, a rope climb, vertical and horizontal ladders, a crawl pit, and a sled push.

Teams then conducted a weight carry from Malvesti Obstacle Course to Victory Pond, bringing a slosh pipe -- a tube filled with water -- part of the way and bringing a loaded medical casualty stretcher the rest of the way.

Teams set their stretchers down at a staging area close to Victory Pond, where the Airborne and Ranger Training Brigade conducts water-based training, and the competitors then had to swim across section of the pond.

After their swim in Victory Pond, the teams donned the armor and ran to Selby Combined Arms Collective Training Facility.

In the Urban Obstacle Course at Selby CACTF, teams carried a weighted medical splint through the window and out the door of one building, they went through tunnels into another building, they carried a 150-pound medical splint over two walls, they flipped a tire, they climbed a caving ladder, and finally they secured a medical training dummy to a litter.

From Selby CACTF, teams flew by helicopter to York Field in front of the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning headquarters building where they fast-roped in. Once there, lane graders yelled "GO" and the teams moved heavy equipment, including flipping a tire, carrying a bag filled with sand and carrying a lifting stone.

After the air assault event, the teams have moved on to a series of range events taking place along Dixie Road at main post, starting with a zeroing event at Roosevelt Range.

After the range events on main post, the teams will conduct a foot march to the night stakes event.

The top 24 teams will be allowed to continue the competition after the road march. The rest must discontinue but will have a year to prepare for next year's BRC.

The night stakes are several events meant to test the competitors on technical skills and knowledge. Those events include a weapons assembly, preparing a timber-cutting charge, a night engagement, a mystery event, and a map test and history test.

After the night event, the competitors are transported to Dekkar Strip, where they will take part in the Spartan Race, an event organized by the Directorate of Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation. The race is a five-mile course through more than 20 obstacles. For the Best Ranger competitors, if they conduct an obstacle incorrectly, a grader will direct them to do a penalty task.

Following the Spartan Race, the rest of Saturday the competitors must take part in day stakes at Todd Field, which includes an 81 mm mortar event, a three-tower and knots-testing event, a first responder lane, a grenade assault course, and a stress shoot.

The day stakes last into the early evening, at which time the field will be cut to 16 teams. A night orienteering event follows, which lasts until the pre-dawn hours of April 15.

More updated cumulative point results are scheduled to be posted April 14 at the start of the Spartan Race and throughout the competition on Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning's news page and to MCoE and Fort Benning social media.

More Best Ranger Competition stories will be published to Benning News on the Army News Service as the contest progresses April 13 through 15. To learn more, visit www.army.mil/benning.

For photos from the Best Ranger Competition, visit http://www.fortbenningphotos.com/Infantry-Brigades/Airborne-Ranger-Training-Briga/Ranger-School/Best-Ranger-Competition/2018-Best-Ranger.

For live updates from the competition, visit the Maneuver Center of Excellence and Fort Benning on social media, like us at or follow us at https://twitter.com/fortbenning.